Mocking
cards of the Centrals (You will find
the links to the countries at the bottom of this page)

Interpreting
Central Powers "Mocking" propaganda

To the German
ethos of the early 20th century, their strength was manifest in
the superiority of German "Kultur" (culture). For the
German masses this was defined in large measure by the regimentation and
loyalty demanded by the dominant Prussian values and systems of
governance. It was believed that this Kultur of industriousness and
unity of purpose is what gave the German people their superior moral
fiber and national strength. The concept of "Mit vereinten
Kräften" (with united strengths) lay at the heart of this
belief. From this emerged a fervent belief that Germany was superior to
the enemies which sought to diminish and thwart her national destiny. To
the very end of the war, German propaganda was successful in instilling
the belief in the mass of Germans that their national strength was such
that they could not lose the war. The German masses believed fervently
in the superiority of German technology and arms, the superiority of her
fighting men in terms of loyalty, fortitude and discipline, and the
superiority of her national and military leadership. The negative
propaganda of the Centrals therefore persistently displays these two
intermingled themes reflecting upon the concept of strength: Germanic
invincibility and Allied inferiority.These dual themes are clearly revealed in how the Centrals
graphically portray their enemies. They are expressed in five general
themes to be found in Centrals' mocking or negative propaganda. We would
like to briefly summarize these to help in the interpretation and
appreciation of the cards shown in this section.

Note how
frequently the Allies are portrayed as being subjected to punishments
reserved for children and animals in normal circumstances. The
chastising German or Austro-Hungarian soldiers use switches and their
hands or feet as would be used in those days upon a misbehaving child, a
dog or weakling adult. Note the frequent good humor on the faces of the
Centrals' soldiers as they chastise the enemy - demonstrating effortless
physical superiority. This ease over the enemy is clearly conveyed by
the use of the German mythical figure "Michel". This is
the fellow in many of the cards who is not wearing a uniform, and has on
a sleeping hat.

Michel is the
symbolic representation of the soft, sentimental and careless side of
the German character. This theme of immunity from the ineffectual enemy
is made all the more potent by the fact that one or two Central soldiers
inevitably chastise not one or two, but half a dozen nations.

A second widely
used method to diminish the Allies is to portray them as animals.
The image is stark and clear - the very human Germans are fighting
nations whose character and behavior do not even deserve the honor of
bearing a human face. This is blund edged "dehumanizing"
propaganda serving to demonstrate the inferiority of the enemy. Certain
such animal symbols were widely used in diverse German propaganda. Look
for Russia as a bear, France as a rooster, Serbia as a pig (her main
prewar export commodity), Britain as a (bull)dog and Japan as a
monkey.

A third more
direct propagandistic device to convey the Centrals' strength was to
portray the enemy as being ineptly lead. In communicating this theme,
the Germans reserved a special vehemence against the Russians and their
military. While we often see a portly British "John Bull"
getting thoroughly trashed, or a bedraggled French general with tail
between his legs, the Russian officer corps was mercilessly flayed by
Centrals' propagandists. Note in the cards how the Russian officers are
frequently pictured with a whip. It was a common belief in Germany,
based indeed to a certain extend on fact, that the Russian officers
drove their men forward into battle with whip and pistol. This
contrasted starkly with the Centrals' propaganda line that their
soldiers fought willingly and loyally out of patriotic conviction, not
fear of their own government and its agents.

These portrayals
of the whip bearing Russian officer are also fleshed out by the
recurrent portrayal of the Russian officer corps (and often the common
soldiers) as being hopeless alcoholics. If a Russian officer is
portrayed, he will inevitably be shown with either a whip or a
bottle of vodka or both.
Part and parcel of this theme of ineptness was to show the enemy as
bloodied as the objects of continual and effective chastisement by the
Centrals.

The Allied armies
and navies are shown as helpless in the face of the Centrals' men and
weapons of war. Allied soldiers are inevitably portrayed with
bandaged feet or limbs, blackened eyes or dripping blood, or missing
shoes and their uniforms in tatters. The British are shown as thin to
the point of anorexia, the Russians as fat and slovenly and the Japanese
as dwarfs with monkey-like faces and posture. The German or
Austro-Hungarian soldiers on the other hand are always well-fleshed,
strong specimens in impeccable uniforms. Another aspect of this theme of
Allied weakness is to show the helplessness of the Allies in the face of
the superiority of German military technology. The Zeppelin (airship)
and submarine are symbols frequently used to effectively convey this
message.

A fifth and last
major theme that we would like to highlight in the Centrals' anti-Allies
propaganda has to do with denigrating the moral stature of the nations
opposing Germany and Austria-Hungary. This demonstration of the
"evil" nature of the Allies is far less prevalent and
effectively portrayed by the Centrals than it was by Allied
propagandists against Germany. (Allied propagandists developed into high
art the protrayal of German militarism, German "Kultur" and
"Kaiserism" as rankly evil.) At any rate, insofar as German
propagandists realized the explicit expression of evil amongst the
Allies, it was in terms of , and was directed primarily against Great
Britain (England) and Italy which were considered betrayers and
corrupters. We also see some cards specifically targeting Tsar Nicholas
II who by taking Russia to war betrays his fellow "divine
rightist" emperors in Germany
and Austria-Hungary.